• Quantum calibration shows way for super-secure communication

    Scientists at Imperial College London have used a new approach to calibrating quantum mechanical measurement directly to calibrate a detector that can sense the presence of multiple individual photons; the ability to sense the presence of individual photons is an important requirement for the development of future long-distance quantum communication devices and networks

  • Raytheon reaches 300th RAID system

    A Raytheon’s milestone: The Rapid Aerostat Initial Deployment (RAID) system provides surveillance support for use in both war and peacetime; the U.S. army now has three hundred of them

  • Briefly noted

    Obama preparing comprehensive technology policy… Germans advance surveillance bill… Report warns incoming administration of of “future military failure”… Senator Clinton welcomes more than $18,000 for Long Island Fire Department

  • UAV-based anti-missile defense appears doomed

    DHS’s Project Chloe envisioned a UAV-based system to defend commercial airlines against shoulder-fired missiles; Northrop Grumman tests show the system to be more complex, and costlier, than originally anticipated

  • New UAV can fly safely close to the ground

    UAVs are useful, but they cannot fly close to the ground because they cannot avoid hazards such as buildings, trees, and power cables; Carnegie Mellon researchers develop a UAV capable of “seeing” — and avoiding — such obstacles

  • Canadian universities study the two sides of the Internet

    Terrorists and hackers use the Internet to spread their nefarious programs; some governments use the Internet to spy on their citizens; Dalhousie is working on a way to spot criminal behavior, while U Toronto keeps censors at bay halfway around the globe

  • Satellite program canceled; intelligence community uneasy

    Congress has shelved a Pentagon program to buy two commercial imagery satellites; in 2005 the Pentagon pulled the plug on a major component of the Future Imagery Architecture system; U.S. intelligence community fears intelligence gaps will open

  • Briefly noted

    Deadly plague found in Grand Canyon… IG: USDA monitoring system improves IT security… France’s DGA issues multinational contract for lightweight UAV radar tech… Thales completes acquisition of U.K. encryption specialist… N.J. safer, but not safe from terrorists

  • Briefly noted

    Online “passports” to make Chinese foods safer… Top U.K. prosecutor warns against growing state power… France may buy Reaper UAVs

  • Heron UAV delivered to Canadian forces in Afghanistan

    Israel Aerospace Industries deliver Heron UAV to Canada; delivery is part of part of a $85 million contract

  • Trials for Watchkeeper UAV

    Israeli UAV Hermes demonstrated; part of the U.K.£800 million project to provide the British Army with UAVs for all-weather, intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance use

  • U.K. pauses before implementing sweeping surveillance scheme

    The U.K. government said it wanted to give law enforcement sweeping power to collect electronic data as a measure to prevent terrorism; the government now says it will engage in consultations to make sure citizens’ privacy is not violated

  • Battery-free, multi-detection wireless sensors

    Home food and beverage safety monitoring, remote water purity testing, more effective chemical and biological sensors are all potential applications

  • Briefly noted

    As ports RFID deadline approaches, applications flood in… eMentum wins $23 million Contract to provide identity management services to DOJ… Early spotting of a potential IT train wreck… Getting the facts straight on cybersecurity

  • Boeing unveils robo-copter program

    With the U.S. forces increasing their activity in northwest Pakistan, Boeing announces a development program of a weapon system suitable for this and similar missions